Welcome to The Norfolk Broads Forum
This is THE Worlds Largest Forum devoted to the Norfolk Broads, here you can discuss issues about the Norfolk Broads. Or just somewhere to chat with others interested in the Norfolk Broads area. In 2015 forum members spent 2,048 days afloat on the Broads

The Butcher in Stalham opens at 7.30am, as I am an early riser I am there at 7.35, it could have been earlier but I contained myself. We needed supplies for the BBQ Buffalo Bill had organised at Ranworth Island on Saturday. I ordered 6 x chicken kebabs, and 4 pork sausages, I got a big surprise when the butcher asked for 15 pounds something, crickey, those kebabs better be good. ($1.00 each in Aus)

Back to the boat and down the Ant, weather is overcast but warm, canopy down cruising, as it was Friday morning there was a rush of Richardson boats returning to base. Just past How Hill it did not take loang for 2 boats to go past, the boat that was third in the queue was in a real hurry trying to overtake, then having to pull back as another boat approached, windscreen down as we approached the bridge, then left it down for the rest of the day as it was nice and warm. Out of the Ant with a left turn on to the busy Bure, or should I say very busy, and very messy at the St Benets moorings. From memory there was a wherry, 3 yachts, some numptie trying to moor a 42' bathtub with the tide, and left his boat at a 90 degree angle to the bank, while there were numerous cruisers trying to avoid taking yachts, and the yachts trying to avoid Mr Numptie. It made for an iteresting few minutes, the sun has now started to break through the clouds, time to apply the sun screen, the weather is just getting better. Cool to start, warmer during the day, and cool at night, but open air cruising at it's best, plenty of fast boats out today, even the Wherry skipper was waving his arms for a Barnes boat to slow down, it was creating some wash, no problem for us, on we chug towards Thurne Dyke which was the end of the crusing for the day. We arrive just before lunch, a group of ducks quickly swim up to our boat looking for food, where we gladly obliged.

I can easily sit and watch the boats,and the world go by, this I did all afternoon after applying more sunscreen. (did I mention the weather was great? yes I thought so, sorry to the other holiday makers who did not have the same weather we did). Then it was time to crack a cold one, then another, thank goodness for Fosters, and a fridge that works Some time in the afternoon we paid a visit to Ramblers gift shop at the end of the staithe, no large purchase this year, only ice creams, and another surprise, the lady behing the counter recognised me from years before, and looks forward to reading the holiday stories posted on the forum. I must apologise as I did not ask the lady's name but hopefully is enjoying our story.

Then it is back to the boat, clouds coming in,and turning cool, I cannot remember if it rained that evening.

Hi Dave, Thnaks for posting your holiday tale great story so far, please keep it coming. Yes that was me at Reedham, very pleased to have met you and I know you said that this may be your last time but do hope you are able to return to the Broads again sometime in future.

We only have to go to Ranworth Island today to catch up with BuffaloBill, and any other forum members that have turned up for the BBQ. So we decide to head down the Thurne to Potter to see the cottages, and charge the batteries. We had moored on the farm moorings at Thurne Dyke, the wind was blowing us off the mooring so it made it very easy to leave. It was a much cooler start to the day as we crusie down the thurne to Potter, no other botas with us, so I will presume all the Herbert Woods Saturday return boats were back in the yard. Nice and slow looking at the cottages, as we get to the Herbert Woods entrance it is time to turn around, tried the usual 3 point turn but it did not work, we are travelling sideways towards the bridge. There was an incoming tide, and the wind was blowing straight down the river towards the bridge, I try again, and I still could not make it around, third time lucky, I just needed to give it almost full revs, and use the bow thruster, phew, made it.

Back down the Thurne, and a few other holiday makers had started to make their move, turned into the Bure and I decide to lower the canopy, only a short way so I could stick my head out as it was still cool, we go down to South Walsham to have a pump ouy at Marine Tech, only to find a large sign out the front saying "No pump outs" so back up to the Bure and moor up at St Benets. I really enjoy this part of the river as it is somewhere you can just sit and watch other boats go by, and what antics people get up to. After a while it is time to head off to Ranworth, the police boat is again stationed at the Ant entrance, on we go although it is overcast it is now warm, and we can enjoy open air cruising, plenty of other boats on the move. We head down Ranworth Dyke and on to the broad, turning left as the broad opens up, Buffalo Bill waves us over, I see someone standing on the bank filming our approach, then I hear the whirring sound from above, look up and there is a drone filming our approach, I realise this recording is going to be shown on the forum, and I better not mess it up, thank fully I did not. (This video was recorded by Lord Paul and can be seen in the Photo Gallery. Lord Paul & Photo/Video Juy 18th @ 3.26pm) All moored up and it is off the boat to meet the fellow members. There was Bill & Jenny (BuffaloBill) Steve, Maggie, & Harvey (Mercator) and Lord Paul. We had an enjoyable afternoon with some antics from Lod Paul cooking the BBQ, the 2 pound each chicken kebabs were very good, Jennie and Maggie had gone to great lengths in preparing the other food, which was really good, thank you very much. Shortly after arriving Steve said the bar is open, and offerd me a can of warm beer, I said "its warm" thanks, but I will get a coldie from the boat. Thank you Steve no offence was meant, I just like my beer cold (Its an Aussie thing) We sat chating all afternoon, Harvey went for a cruise in his boat. Leanne and I had a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. Bill must have sensed the rain coming as we had to pack away the gazebo, and chairs, no sooner as we had packed up it started to rain, we all went back to our boats, but Lord Paul decided to add to the evenings entertainment by dropping a fold up chair into the water, then trying to retrieve it, Steve, and lord Paul tried for over an hour to recover the chair, a guy on Supermore came out to watch all the fun as Steve, and Lord Paul were using a grappling hook tied to a rope in trying to retrieve the chair. Bill and I watched on offering various comments. Steve had had enough, and turned to Bill, or I to take over, the guy on Supermore said he would like to try, and wouldn't you know it, snagged the chair on the first throw and successfully got it to land. A huge cheer, and a very relieved Lord Paul, as the chair belonged to his wife.